The present invention relates to programmed conversation recording systems, and in particular to improvements to such systems which allow the programmed conversation to proceed as fluently as possible.
Theis U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,436 discloses a recording system which conducts a programmed conversation with a caller by presenting the caller with a series of prerecorded messages or prompts and recording caller responses to these messages. The Theis system monitors the caller's response for pauses and times the duration of these pauses. The pause duration is compared with a preset threshold value, and the system automatically proceeds to the next prerecorded message when the duration of a pause exceeds this predetermined threshold. In this way, the next prerecorded message follows the completion of the caller's response to the preceding message in a natural way.
In the system disclosed in the Theis patent, the pause threshold is a predetermined value which remains constant for an entire response. In the preferred embodiment described in the Theis patent this pause threshold is set equal to either two seconds or six seconds, as programmed for each separate response. For example, in a programmed conversation that includes five caller responses, the Theis system can set the pause threshold for caller responses 1, 2 and 5 at two seconds, and the pause threshold for caller responses 3 and 4 at six seconds. When the duration of any pause in a caller response exceeds the respective threshold value, the system automatically terminates the recording of the caller response and proceeds to the presentation of the next prerecorded message. The use of such a fixed threshold works quite well for questions which have predictable answers. However, more complex questions pose a more complex problem.
It is important to handle a question-and-answer sequence between a caller and a recording system in as fluent a manner as possible. It is of primary importance that the programmed conversation be strictly formatted, so that there is a minimal chance of the caller becoming confused by expecting the recording system to answer the caller's questions. Such confusion can be caused when the recording system does not proceed with the dialog as the caller expects. For example, if the caller's response to the question "Is there anything else?" is a simple "No", the caller will typically expect a prompt response, such as another question. Conversely, the caller's answer to this question may involve a long description of the caller's request, during which he should not be interrupted. A recording system which uses a fixed, predetermined threshold for each caller response must be programmed to compromise between the thresholds appropriate for such simple and complex responses, thereby not handling either in a natural manner.